Cloud-Based Workflow for ISP Services Management

ABSTRACT

A business process and supporting system that incorporates the resulting cloud-based workflow to procure and manage broadband and related services. The business process is divided into its component steps. All communication is abstracted into structured data allowing for a systematic and error free process. Tools are built into the system to enhance ease of use, and eliminating time wasting effort. An algorithmic approach to matching Customer needs to ISP offerings provides a very efficient and cost-effective way to manage a very real need for multi-location businesses.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to optimizing the procurement of Internetbroadband and related services. More particularly, by creating aweb-based workflow that optimally connects Customers with systems andpeople in Internet Service Provider organizations (ISPs), significantreductions in costs and service losses and improvements in serviceidentification, evaluation, selection and delivery is achieved.

2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The number of Internet based services is expanding exponentially. Mostservices are purchased by Customers today over the internet ortelephone. Successful commerce for these services requires thatCustomers research, price, procure these services easily and securelyover and manage the use of the service over its lifetime. This need isapplicable for both business and Residential Customers.

The present invention targets procurement of Internet Access servicesfrom Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Such procurements offer specificchallenges to Business Customers (Customers) not just in procurement,but ongoing management of the services procured and deployed. While thecurrent invention primarily addresses the needs of business customers,one with a little familiarity of the domain will discern that thesolutions apply to residential customers also.

Current state of the art dictates that Customers use ad hoc,unstructured methods with service provider representatives forcommunication, procurement and management of these services.Unstructured communication in our problem domain poses many problems forcustomers and ISPs.

-   a. Duplication of Effort: To research services available for a    location, Customers must contact multiple potential vendors,    providing the same information multiple times.-   b. Unstandardized Responses—ISPs responses to requests are in    non-standard formats that vary from company to company and from ISP    Representative (Rep) to Rep. Customers must manually evaluate,    normalize and correlate the provider responses to make them    susceptible to a valid, apples to apples comparison.-   c. Process Complexity—Upon selecting a service provider, Customers    begin a detailed dialog with the service provider's representatives    to confirm the suitability and completeness of the service for their    specific requirements. For example, is the service available at the    required location? Is construction required, what is the conceivable    schedule. A contract for delivering the service and its    prerequisites needs to be created and ratified. Included in the    process are a series of complex activities requiring facilitation    and coordination of surveys, construction, delivery, installation,    configuration and validation of procured services.-   d. Poor Records Management—In the post-installation phase, problems    often arise and are exacerbated by poor record keeping on the    Customers' side. Customer personnel involved with the services    installation process are often unavailable later which leads to a    loss of critical account and service information—a shortfall that    becomes noticeable at service interruptions.-   e. Geographic Variations—Contract terms and conditions often vary    based on geographical region and the governing entities. These    problems are compounded if, as is often the case, SPs maintain    multiple geographic service provider locations or different    organizations for different services causing communications to be    rerouted multiple times before they reach appropriate personnel.-   f. Multiple Simultaneous Procurement—Problems are further compounded    if the Customers also has, many locations in simultaneous but    different stages of activation, usage or termination.    During the entire lifecycle there are issues related to dropped    communication, misplaced records, and personnel changes contributing    to these problems that collectively cause significant distress and    economic loss resulting from missed deadlines, systems being down    and repair actions delayed.

The present invention alleviates communication problems and data lossdescribed above by orchestrating and directing a formal workflow basedon structured data and stored information. This workflow dramaticallyminimizes the time a Customer spends in procurement activities. Itreduces the time an ISP sales representative spends in the process,enabling them to service more Customers. It prevents loss of informationthroughout the procurement processes and increases efficiency byeliminating the need to retype or cut and paste the data multiple times,reducing the manual work and tremendously increasing the accuracy of thedata throughout the life cycle of the service instance.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention defines an automated, rules-based software systemfor researching, analyzing, ordering, procuring, developing contractsfor and facilitating and managing the installation of and ongoing postinstallation management of broadband services. By broadband services, weimply services purchased from ISPs, services such as Internet, Phone andTV.

The invention embodies many unique features that assist the users of thesoftware system. Together this invention enables Customers to manage alltheir service procurements from a personalized software-based portal.The Portal incorporates Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologiescombined with Markup Languages, to construct an Expert System thatrapidly matches Customers' needs with ISPs who can fulfill the saidneeds.

The unique software-based portal enables sales representatives of ISPsworldwide to declare the services they offer. Combined with thesedeclarations, Customer requirements are algorithmically matched tospecific ISP Offerings. Reps are integrated directly into the Portalthat stores the responses for future re-use and greatly facilitatessubsequent analysis. The Reps utilize the invention to rapidly transmitinformation, enabling communication effectiveness and productivity gainsfor Reps.

The fundamental design objective of the present embodiment of theinvention is a reduction in unstructured data and communication asextant in telephone and email-based processes and a replacement by aformalized, structured database centric view of the procurement processwith an accompanied workflow facilitating the same.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FLOWCHARTS AND DIAGRAMS

The present invention will be more fully understood by referencing thefollowing specific example of procurement of Internet ConnectionServices and the detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiments.Wherein:

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of an abstracted process in the field of theinvention. It depicts the activities that must sequentially take placeto achieve the installation of a broadband circuit at a location;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of an abstracted process in the field of theinvention. It depicts the activities that must sequentially take placeto achieve the abandonment of an order for a broadband circuit at alocation;

FIG. 3 is a breakdown of activities of an abstracted process in thefield of the invention. Each activity is broken down into severalconstituent activities that must all be accomplished together to achievethe installation of a broadband circuit at a location;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an abstracted process in the field of theinvention. It depicts the activities that must sequentially take placeto achieve the installation of a broadband circuit at a location when arequest for quotation is placed upon multiple Reps. Only one request maybe converted to an order; others are abandoned.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an abstracted process in the field of theinvention. It depicts the activities that must sequentially take placeto achieve the installation of a broadband circuit at a location whensimultaneous requests for quotations for broadband procurement formultiple locations are placed upon multiple Reps.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an abstracted process in the field of theinvention. It depicts the activities that must sequentially take placeto achieve the completion of a Customers support request. The data needsto complete the support request will vary depending on the nature of therequest;

FIG. 7 is an image of a single instantiation of the currentimplementation of invention. It depicts the software portal thatimplements the invention;

FIG. 8 is an image of a Customer's view of the state of variousprocurement requests within the current implementation of invention.Among other things, it shows the Customer his locations in differentstates, including those that need his attentions. One with ordinaryskill in the field of the invention will immediately observe how all thecomplexities of FIG. 5 have been abstracted away by the invention;

FIG. 9 is an image of a Customer initiating a request for quote for aspecific location. One with ordinary skill in the field of the inventionwill immediately observe the unprecedented ease with which the Customersis able to select the requirements they wish to fulfill. The presentinvention matches the Customer needs with ISP capabilities in real timeand Customers are shown all Reps who can potentially meet theirrequirements. They simply select the ISPs to whom they wish to sendtheir RFQs and the requirements are emailed to all the Reps they select;

FIG. 10 is an image of a Rep responding to a request for quote for aspecific location. One with ordinary skill in the field of the inventionwill immediately observe the unprecedented ease and completeness withwhich the Rep is able to respond to a Customer's requirements. UsingIntrep-id™ (described below) the Rep is able to respond to a requestwith a minimum of keystrokes.

FIGS. 11-13 is an abstraction of a set of transactions depicting theeffect of using the Credit Card Intrep-ID™ for the currentimplementation of invention. Broadband Plan Intrep-IDs allow Reps toprovide service quotes in a single click. Credit Card Intrep-IDs enableWEWISPS Customers to repeatedly purchase WEWISPS credits in a singleclick. In FIG. 11, the customer is shown facing a screen that is askingfor the Customer's credit card info. In FIG. 12 the Customer is shownselecting a specific Credit Card Intrep-ID from her computer anduploading it into the Intrep-ID compatible site. FIG. 13 shows the site,having captured and processed the Intrep-ID, showing the Customer'scredit card data back to her for verification.

The above figures are provided for the purpose of illustration anddescription only and are not intended to define the limits of thedisclosed invention. The use of a specific User Interface is anembodiment and instance of the invention and one with ordinary skill caneasily understand that changing the user interfaces as shown in theaccompanied drawings does not change the core of the invention. Thefigures will be explained or will be within the skill of the art afterthe following teachings of the present invention have been read andunderstood.

Furthermore, the invention and the figures above refer specifically toInternet Access Services such as a broadband circuit. However, anyonewith ordinary skill can easily understand the same figures, logic andprocess applies to other broadband services such as telephone and TVprocurement or even other services that are procured similarly over theInternet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As used herein, the term invention refers to the embodiment of featuresin the invented software system. As used herein, the term softwaresystem refers to the WEWISPs.com software and website. WEWISPs standsfor “Working Efficiently with ISPs”.

The problems that the present invention addresses are depicted in FIGS.1 through 6. FIG. 1 depicts an abstraction of the services procurementprocess (1). The need is the procurement of the broadband connection(2), it is initiated when the Customers makes a request (4) to a Rep andprovides the Rep certain data (4) about the location that needs theservice. The Rep provides (5) the Customer one or more quotes (6) withvarying terms, options and prices. The Customer approves one and placesan order (7). The ISP installs the service (8) and the Customer need isfulfilled (9). As is evident to one of ordinary skill in the area of theinvention, the above represents a highly abstracted process; the actualprocess being quite complex.

FIG. 2 depicts the complexity hidden in FIG. 1. To elaborate on thiscomplexity, consider the process of requesting a quote from an SP (31).A given address may be temporary or incorrect, the address must bevalidated (310). The location may require a physical survey (311) of theproperty to determine serviceability, it must be evaluated forconstruction purposes (312) and all of these may place limitations onthe services that can be provided. Similarly, providing a quote (32)entails describing several term options (320), different service levelagreements (321) and negotiation of construction costs (322) if any. TheOrder placement (33) is typically followed by the necessary paperworkcompletion for contracts (330), for construction approval (331) and thenthe construction itself needs to be overseen and managed (332). Afterthe service is successfully installed (34), much still needs to happento ensure the delivery of the correct service (341) through testing andother means (342). Following all this there needs to be good datacapture that enables efficient billing and account management (342) onan ongoing basis.

As can now be appreciated, what appeared to be a simple process in FIG.1, is immediately understood in FIG. 2 to be a highly complex processwhen its component parts are depicted. In many instances, installationrequest is abandoned or canceled (FIG. 3) because of problems or missedcommunications in any one of the many activities undertaken.

To appreciate the complexity further, consider that a Customer may wishto research options from multiple ISPs in order to select the bestoption for her location (FIG. 4). In this circumstance, there will beone to many requests made (1), each following the path outlined in (1)and all but one request will be abandoned, only one succeeds. Thecommunications required to handle multiple ISP requests can beunderstood to be easily multiplied many folds.

It further needs to be appreciated that the Customer may be a multiplelocation Customer for example, a multiple store business. It can also beappreciated that it is possible that the Customer may be managing suchprocurement for more than one location simultaneously (FIG. 5). In thiscircumstance, all the above complexity mentioned so far not onlymultiplies but utilizing traditional procurement methods using phonecalls and emails can introduce substantial errors and mistakes.

In FIG. 6, we expand the scope of the problem to full lifecyclemanagement of the circuit In the lifetime of the use of the procuredservice, there will be many requests made from the Customers to the ISP.Whether a repair action is requested (10), or a service cancellation(11), changes in ownership (12), changes in address/account information(13), Billing changes (14) or even going back and reinitiating apreviously abandoned order (15), Customers need to interact with theISPs in many ways in nondeterministic intervals and times. Each suchrequest has a generic flow of actions associated with it, with its ownneeds for data and information. One with an ordinary knowledge of thefield can appreciate the process flows for each of these actions withoutrequiring the present invention to fully itemize such a list of actions.

In summary of the Figures and the foregoing discussion, it can beappreciated that the problems the present invention addresses aresignificant. As will be described next, the present invention, solvesthese problems elegantly and effectively by converting informationexchanged into a structured database driven, formalized process.

The present invention is an “expert system” in the domain of Broadbandmanagement and procurement. It abstracts and instantiates a process thatcan be utilized by all ISPs and allows for variations therein. Itfacilitates and records the dialog between Consumers and Reps. Theknowledge capture of the field of broadband procurement in the presentinvention enables the data to be structured from the initiation of thedialog which in turn enables long-term capture and use of the same datato the benefit of Customers and ISPs.

The present invention is embodied in a web application called WEWISPSwhich is accessible at the Internet URL https wewisps dot com. (FIG. 7).

The Customer is a user/Customer of the WEWISPs service and upon thecompletion of one or more procurements, will also become a Customer ofthe ISP they selected. A Customer's dashboard (FIG. 8), depictinginstantly the current status of the Customer's procurements, whatlocations are in active procurement, which ones have received responsesand which ones need responses, from the Customer. One with ordinaryskill in the field of the invention will immediately observe how all thecomplexities of FIG. 5 have been abstracted away by the invention;

The Reps form the second set of actors in the present invention. Repsproviding a variety of broadband services in a variety of geographies inthe US, self-identify their specialties and geographical reach into thesystem. A unique aspect of the expert system is matching a Customer'srequirements and needs to a set of Reps who are then instructed torespond to the said quote request.

The Reps who can provide services and are interested in providing aquote against a specific request provide a quote directly into theWEWISPs system. They do so by logging into the WEWISPs system andentering the data manually (FIG. 10). They can also avoid manual work byusing our Intrep-id™ system.

The Intrep-id™ system is a significant invention. After the first manualentry of the requested information, the Intrep-id™ system encodes theentered data into XML instances. The XML instances are encoded forsecurity and sent back to the user as appropriately named files. Forsubsequent requests by the system for the same data, users simply uploadthese XML files into the WEWISPS system which precludes having to enterthe data manually. FIG. 11, 12, 13 show an abstracted use of theIntrep-id™ system. The key benefits of the Intrep-ID system are enablinga rapid transfer/reuse of arbitrary structured data without having tocreate accounts with 3^(rd) parties that could render the said datasusceptible to being compromised.

Here we introduce a significant component critical to the concept andutility of this invention, Intrep-id™, which facilitates and manages theworkflow and contents of the entire business conversation, from initialcontact through to installation and operation, between the servicecustomer and the many service providers. In this invention, Intrep-id™employs a specific XML language, defined within the context of thisinvention, Broadband Procurement and Management Markup Language™(BPMML), to encode and transfer data between the Rep's systems andWEWISP. This Open Source Markup Language is trademarked.

The Intrep-id™ system uses another specific XML language, defined withinthe context of this invention, Credit Card Purchase Management MarkupLanguage™ (CCPMML) to encode and transfer data between the Customer'scomputer and the WEWISPs web site. This Open Source Markup Language istrademarked [0032] In the present invention, Reps create multipleinstances of BPMML compatible XML files. These files reside only on theRep's computer. Each XML instance contains the quotation data for aservice offering of the SP. When the Rep needs to provide this data tothe Customers in response to the RFQ, the specific instance is selectedand uploaded to WEWISPs. The required data then shows, appropriately inthe form and saved and sent to move the transaction forward. The XMLinstances are encrypted using a key that is shared between the Rep andtheir account on WEWISPS.

In the present invention, Customers can create one or more instances ofCCPMML compatible XML files. These files reside only on the Customers'computers. Each XML instance contains the Credit Card data necessary tocharge WEWISPS credits purchases. When the Customers need to providethis data to WEWISPS to execute the transaction, a specific Credit Cardinstance is selected and uploaded to WEWISPs. The required data thenshows appropriately in the form and executed to complete thetransactions. The XML instances are encrypted using a key that is sharedbetween the Customers and their account on WEWISPS.

Without needing to show the entire set of communications, including allpermutations and combinations of available choices, it can beappreciated by one of ordinary skill in the field of the art, the Repsand the Customers continue to communicate with each other using theWEWISPs system which tracks the deliverables of one to the other,generating alerts when delays are noticed. This process of communicationcontinues until a successful resolution is achieved, that being theinstallation or effective management of the requested service.

WEWISPS in its first instantiation relates to the procurement andmanagement of Internet Broadband services, including those TV and phoneservices that are purchased from the ISPs. However, one of ordinaryskill will appreciate that the scope of the present invention is notlimited to the procurement of just broadband services over the Internet;it is intended to embrace the procurement and support paradigm of anynumber of current and future services for efficient and effectivemanagement.

Intrep-ID™ in its present form is the first instantiation of the firsttwo markup languages, the BPMML and the CCPMML, and associatedIntrep-IDs in support WEWISPS needs. However, one of ordinary skill canabstract from the specific WEWISPS based technology to see that itapplies to all fields where Consumers need to provide data aboutthemselves to same business partners repeatedly or the same data tomultiple competing or non-competing business partners. WEWISPS™ andIntrep-ID™ developments are underway to support many such applications.

All Intrep-IDs are encrypted using an arbitrary fragment of the datathat is provided by the Customer to their business partner. This ensures“pretty good privacy” with significant ease of use for the Consumer.

WEWISPS's uniqueness is enumerated below:

-   -   a. Automating ISP services procurement and management—a process        involving business customers, multiple ISPs with no        current/existing computerized tools and processes to do so.    -   b. Abstracting key process elements and data from multiple        different ISP organizations and creating a standard process that        could be used for all ISPs, so that a standard workflow could be        created to the benefit of Customers.    -   c. Algorithmically matching service provider capabilities and        offerings to customer requests based on the customer        requirements for services.    -   d. Applying structure and database techniques within a consumer        services procurement and management process. Users and consumers        employ these tools and techniques to conduct rapid, effective,        and repeated data exchange of arbitrary personal and business        data to achieve their objectives. They achieve this without        having to create user accounts and retaining full control of        their data and without having to entrust the security of their        data to their business partners or other 3^(rd) parties. WEWISPS        is the first test of the idea; when successful the basic        concepts will transform many applications on the web.

We claim:
 1. A system and a process for Broadband Procurement andManagement, the process comprising: all steps that together enable theprocurement and management of broadband, TV and phone services; eachstep combining data and activity to achieve specific purpose in theworkflow; the workflow that spans organizations across the Internet; asoftware portal that encapsulates the online workflow; and
 2. The systemfor bringing together Reps from multiple disparate ISPs into a standardinterface, comprising: a method for Reps to self-disclose theircapabilities and territories to the system in a well-defined manner; amethod for Reps to review all pending and completed activity; a methodthat tracks Reps' progress and provides escalation paths; and
 3. Thesystem for enabling Customers effectively manage their broadbandcircuits, comprising: a process to upload location addresses into saidsystem with the ability to seek best solutions from multiple Reps in astandardized way; a method to maintain a comprehensive view onprocurements completed and those underway; a method to efficiently seekupdates from Reps and track installations to schedules; a method tomanage and maintain multi-location data in a centralized fashion; thecentralized data enabling an effective method to request maintenance andmanagement actions on circuits already deployed; and
 4. A process toidentify most qualified ISP services comprising: an algorithm to matchservices required at a location to services offered by ISPs across allgeographies, and
 5. A process to enable rapid, secure, structuredexchange of arbitrary Customer data between Customers and their businesspartners, comprising: a method to create, store, encrypt and usearbitrary customer data stored in XML data files on Customer computersthat Customers can provide to business partners in a single click whenengaged in a transaction with the business partner; the said methodtrademarked under the tradename Intrep-ID™; and A specific instance ofthe general Intrep-ID™ process to enable rapid and secure responses byReps to Customers Quote Requests within the WEWISPS system, comprising:a method to create, store and use encrypted service plan data stored inXML data files on Rep computers that Reps can provide in a single clickwhen responding to Customers Quote Requests; the said method trademarkedunder the tradename Intrep-ID™; and A specific instance of the generalIntrep-ID™ process to enable rapid and secure responses by Customers torepeatedly purchase WEWISPS credits within the WEWISPS system,comprising: a method to create, store and use Credit Card data stored inXML data files on Customers computers that Customers can provide in asingle click when purchasing WEWISPS credits to use the WEWISPS systemfor procurement and management of broadband and related services; thesaid method trademarked under the tradename Intrep-ID™